When you breastfeed, sometimes you need to store breast milk. But how do you actually do this? We have some handy products for storing breast milk, like breast milk bags and a few tips! What are the top 3 best-selling breast milk storage bags? We call them storage bags, but...
When you breastfeed, sometimes you need to store breast milk....
Storing Breast Milk
When you breastfeed, sometimes you need to store breast milk. But how do you actually do this? We have some handy products for storing breast milk, like breast milk bags and a few tips!
What are the top 3 best-selling breast milk storage bags?
We call them storage bags, but the top 3 best-selling breast milk storage products are the following three items. Keep in mind, this is based on what we sell in our webshop and what many breastfeeding mothers purchase ♡ Ultimately, you have to decide what suits you best. Every breast milk storage product has its advantages and disadvantages.
- Haakaa Ladybug Leak-proof Breast Milk Storage Bowls
- LanSinoh Breast Milk Bags - 50 pcs
- Haakaa Breast Milk Bags - Silicon - 2 pcs
Above all, choose what matters most to you when it comes to storing your liquid gold. Based on that, you can make a choice that fits best with your daily family life ♡
What materials are used for storing breast milk?
When storing breast milk, it’s important to know a few things. We’ll go into detail here, so you can make a fully informed choice about which breast milk storage product to use. The preference is for well-sealing containers or bottles, or bags made of glass or hard plastic. Make sure to check that the material used is free of the chemical Bisphenol A, better known as BPA. It can leach into the breast milk, which your son or daughter would ingest, and of course, that’s something you don’t want.
Before pouring breast milk into a storage container or bottle, clean it in the dishwasher or wash with warm soapy water. Many breast milk containers or bottles come sterilised in their packaging and can be used immediately. In that case, cleaning is not necessary. Always leave some space in the breast milk container or bottle to allow for milk expansion.
When storing breast milk in plastic bags, it’s important to use high-quality breast milk bags to avoid leaks or the use of unwanted plastics. That’s why we sell LanSinoh breast milk bags — so you know you’re in good hands. Only use plastic bags that are true breast milk storage bags, specially designed for this purpose. When closing the breast milk bag containing milk, press the air out and leave some space for expansion during freezing.
How do I store breast milk?
Breast milk is liquid gold, we all know that. Mothers put a lot of effort into it and are intenSisely focused on providing the best nutrition for their little one. Storing breast milk is an art in itself. It’s not complicated, but you need to know exactly how to do it. Especially if it’s your first time breastfeeding your son or daughter ♡ Freezing breast milk is a must when you want to build up a supply. But how exactly do you do that? How long can breast milk stay in the freezer without losing quality? Can it be stored indefinitely, or should you set a limit? Must the milk be refrigerated first before freezing or can it go straight into the freezer? And what about thawing? Also, how long can breast milk stay in the fridge? We’ll guide you through the whole process! Let’s go!
Before diving deeper into storing breast milk at different Man levels, here’s a baSis overview of temperatures and storage times. Not unimportant — in fact, this is the baSis we’ll build on!
What temperatures should I store breast milk at?
The times and temperatures below assume a clean, dust-free packaging. Always label your breast milk bag or container with the date and time of expression. Room temperature means between nineteen and twenty-two degrees Celsius. The fridge temperature is zero to four degrees Celsius. When placing milk in the fridge, avoid the door because of temperature fluctuations caused by opening and closing.
- Colostrum - room temperature: up to twelve hours
- Colostrum - fridge: up to eight days
- Colostrum - hospital fridge: check hospital guidelines
- Fresh breast milk - room temperature: up to eight hours
- Fresh breast milk - fridge: up to eight days
- Fresh breast milk - hospital fridge: check hospital guidelines
- Breast milk - fridge freezer compartment: up to two weeks
- Breast milk - small freezer with frequent opening: up to four months
- Breast milk - deep freezer constant max -18° C: up to twelve months
- Thawed breast milk - fridge: up to twenty-four hours
- Thawed breast milk - room temperature: use as soon as possible
How do I store breast milk in a freezer?
Freezing breast milk is popular because it’s the ideal solution for building a supply for your little one. Whether you need to be away from home or go back to work. You don’t put pumped milk straight into the freezer; first, you cool it in the fridge. You can collect milk throughout the day into one breast milk bag to freeze together later. However, portions should be cooled to the same temperature before freezing all together.
If you want to store breast milk in the freezer, it’s good to know that cooled milk should ideally go into the freezer within forty-eight hours. This ensures most nutrients are preserved and milk lasts longer in the freezer. Waiting longer than the recommended forty-eight hours can reduce how long the breast milk stays good.
What you can do is pump throughout the day, with many mothers pumping in the morning because they have the most milk then, and gather it into one or two bags at the end of the day. Of course, it depends on how much milk you can pump.
Below is a summary of breast milk storage times for the freezer:
- Breast milk - fridge freezer compartment: up to two weeks
- Breast milk - small freezer with frequent opening: up to four months
- Breast milk - deep freezer constant max -18° C: up to twelve months
How do I store breast milk at work?
If you return to work and are breastfeeding, you’ll obviously pump. Thanks to the breastfeeding law in the Netherlands, this is well organised. You might breastfeed live, but more likely you will pump — which many mothers do ♡ The question then is what’s practical and how you store your milk at work. Usually, there’s a fridge at work where you can store expressed breast milk following the standard fridge guidelines. That means placing milk in a fridge at zero to four degrees Celsius. You can’t put milk directly in the freezer, even if there’s a small freezer section, because it first needs to cool down before freezing. Since you only combine milk once cooled, it’s useful to use multiple bags or containers and then combine them. This can be done earlier in the day rather than waiting until the end. This helps avoid filling the work fridge with many storage bags.
How do I store breast milk in a fridge?
When building a supply by pumping, you’ll use the fridge a lot. Storing breast milk in the fridge isn’t complicated, but it helps to have a system. Below is the baSis for fridge storage:
- Colostrum - fridge: up to eight days
- Fresh breast milk - fridge: up to eight days
- Thawed breast milk - fridge: up to twenty-four hours
When storing breast milk in the fridge, be aware that fridge temperature determines how long milk can be stored. Like other foods, breast milk attracts bacteria. However, it’s unique in containing antibodies that slow down bacterial growth. This helps build your baby’s immune system, which is why it’s called liquid gold ♡ If you use milk within ten hours of pumping, you can keep it outside the fridge. For example, if you pump because you’re going for lunch with a friend, the milk can be left out to feed your little one when you’re away — but never in direct sunlight.
How long can I store breast milk outside the fridge?
Sometimes you don’t want to refrigerate breast milk to avoid cooling and reheating. You might want it ready when your son or daughter arrives, or because you’re lounging on the sofa and can’t get up. No worries if you’ve pumped and can’t put milk in the fridge right away. Here are the baSis for storing at room temperature:
- Colostrum - room temperature: up to twelve hours
- Fresh breast milk - room temperature: up to eight hours
- Thawed breast milk - room temperature: use as soon as possible
Depending on your home's temperature, breast milk can be stored for shorter or longer times. In summer, the time at room temperature is shorter than in winter. Milk attracts bacteria like other foods. However, the unique antibodies in breast milk combat rapid bacterial growth. Breast milk helps your little one build their immune system, so giving breast milk for as long as possible is very important — all benefits for your son or daughter ♡ If used within ten hours after pumping, milk can be kept out of the fridge. However, in very hot homes at thirty-five degrees, this time is obviously shorter.
Can I store breast milk on the go?
If you’re often on the go, on holiday, or pumping elsewhere, it’s important to bring a few things. You want to store breast milk on the go, so having the right items is essential. Also, consider the outside temperature and adjust storage accordingly. In summer at thirty-five degrees, milk can only be stored briefly outside the fridge, while in winter, this time is longer. If you pump on the go, it’s handy to bring a breast milk cooler bag with cooling elements. This keeps your pumped milk chilled and ready to transfer to the freezer at home. Or of course the fridge, depending on what you do with the milk. Bring enough breast milk bags — better too many than too few. You can also use breast milk storage bottles or containers, depending on what suits your daily family life. After pumping, put the milk in your chosen storage and place it in a cooler bag. If you’re home within twenty minutes and it’s winter, you could store it outside the cooler bag. So really consider the context in which you’re pumping.
Where can I ask questions about storing breast milk?
Maybe after reading this, you have questions about storing breast milk or a particular breast milk storage item from LanSinoh or Haakaa — contact our dear Team! We do everything we can to support you in this special journey, and if we can’t answer your question directly, we’ll always help you find the information you need. For example, we can refer you to a webSite or knowledge base with even more details. Whatever the case, we’re here for you ♡ Send your question by email to info@haarspullen.nl or call us Team during office hours. Please provide as much information as possible when emailing us. Why? The more details you give about breast milk storage, the better and faster we can help. Otherwise, we’d keep asking for information back and forth, which is frustrating.
For more breastfeeding products, check out our collection here: Breastfeeding
SOURCE - Breast milk storage guidelines are based on the protocol of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.
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